Golf: Furyk shrinks from limelight

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Although American golfer Jim Furyk is second in the world rankings he is not keen to be considered as Tiger Woods' next great rival.

Ten years after winning his first Masters, Woods returns to Augusta National Golf Club this week looking for a fifth green jacket and still searching for a worthy adversary.

Over the past decade Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson have all been pushed forward into the role of rival to Woods but none has stood the test of time.

The rankings would suggest it is Furyk's turn to take up the challenge but the 36-year-old makes it clear it is not a job he is interested in.

"As far as who anyone would pick to be the next guy to challenge Tiger, I would willingly beg you to pick someone else and please leave me alone, let me go do what I want to," Furyk said today ahead of the Masters starting tomorrow (NZT).

"I don't mind the attention, but I'm just fine and dandy going to a restaurant with my family and sitting down to a nice quiet dinner and enjoying it just as well.

"I think I get plenty of credit. I think that I'm not jealous of any of the due that anyone else in the golf world gets.

"And if for some reason you felt like I was a little underrated, it doesn't bother me.

"I'm comfortable with who I am, where I stand and what I'm trying to accomplish, and I don't really worry about the rest of it."

When Woods emerged as golf's dominant force, Garcia had looked the most suited to the role of his main rival but the fiery Spaniard has been unable to harness his immense potential and turn it into major championships.

Two-time Masters champion Mickelson and Vijay Singh, the workaholic Fijian, possess major credentials and enough defiance to stoke a healthy rivalry.

They have both exposed cracks in Woods' invincible persona but they have also been unable to pose a consistent threat to his domination.

Rankings aside, Furyk would seem an unlikely Woods rival.

Considered one of Woods' friends, Furyk has been paired with the 12-time major winner at Ryder Cup competitions, bringing very little edge to their relationship.

Furyk is also quick to point out that while he is No 2 in the rankings he remains a distant second (8.31) more than double the points behind the frontrunning Woods (20.16).

"At the time when Vijay overtook as number one, the points were probably a lot closer in the world rankings," Furyk said.

"Right now, I don't know the exact numbers but I want to say he has twice as many points as I do, more than twice as many ... so the gap is giant."

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